Chapter 106 Oil-Splashed Noodles [Second Update]
The next day, Wen Fan didn't hear any unusual noises from next door. She wasn't in a hurry; this time, she hadn't hidden the prescription in a book, but in her bag, not expecting it to be discovered immediately. Otherwise, with prescriptions appearing so frequently on the same paper, Old Master Duan wasn't a fool, and he might suspect her at any moment.
Wen Fan went to the market to pick out pigeons in the morning. Although the pigeons from yesterday were fresh, Wen Fan felt that they were not quite right after cooking them.
You should know that back in the palace, the Empress loved this pigeon soup the most. Wen Fan had been making it for five years. Not to mention having a recipe to follow, he could probably make it with his eyes closed.
Therefore, Wen Fan also has a lot of insights into selecting pigeons.
When someone at the market heard that she wanted to buy pigeons, they led her to a stall where the pigeons were all pre-processed, with their heads and internal organs removed, making them very deceptive.
The stall owner kept pushing his wares: "To make pigeon soup, you need old pigeons. Look, this whole area is full of pigeons that are over a year and a half old."
Compared to older pigeons, squabs have smoother skin and yellowish skin, and their flesh color gradually darkens with age.
The area the stall owner pointed to was indeed full of old pigeons with yellow skin and dark flesh, and the meat looked firm.
"If you're opening your own shop, I recommend you get these. We offer wholesale discounts, five for 100 yuan!"
Although Wen Fan didn't know the current price level of pigeons, he only glanced at them before turning away with a cold laugh.
No matter how much the stall owner called after them, they didn't turn around.
Father Wen: "Is there a problem?"
He had taken his daughter grocery shopping for so long, and he had never seen her ignore anyone. Even when someone tried to rip them off, Wen Fan would just haggle easily. After a couple of rounds, the other party would realize he was an expert and obediently give the real price.
Wen Fan: "Fake pigeons."
Mr. Wen was taken aback.
Wen Fan: "You can't fool people who don't know any better. That stall is full of chicks."
Small chicks, after their feathers and heads are removed, can indeed be easily confused with pigeons. However, Wen Fan was able to tell the difference by looking at the texture of the meat and the skeleton.
That stall owner was ruthless; there wasn't a single real pigeon on his stall, only chicks pretending to be pigeons.
Wen Fan took his father for a walk around the market and discovered that there was more than one like this. The better ones were real pigeons mixed with fake ones; if a customer noticed, they would just quietly replace them. The worse ones were like the ones they had just seen, five or six for a hundred yuan, all chicks.
Of course, some restaurant owners know they are fake but still come to buy them, asking for 30 yuan for five.
Wen Fan didn't like those kinds of stalls, so he finally found an honest one where all the pigeons on the stall were real.
The stall owner wasn't very good at attracting customers; he would just tell them which one was an old pigeon and which one was a young pigeon, and then wait for the customers to choose.
Wen Fan picked one out, then took out his phone: "Let's exchange contact information."
If she wasn't mistaken, the medicinal cuisine she cooked at home was just the beginning; she would likely have many more customers in this category later on.
The stall owner added his contact information and a simple name note: Pigeon King.
Stall owner: "My surname is Wang."
Although it has some ambiguity, isn't "King of Pigeons" a catchy and easy-to-remember phrase?
Wen Fan said it was indeed easy to remember, and after opening Pigeon King's WeChat Moments, he found that this person was also a talent.
Besides pigeons, they also sell soft-shelled turtles, eels, cicada pupae, bamboo rats, and more.
They are all farmed, and the Pigeon King himself even pinned one to the top of his chat list.
I do not sell wild animals, so please don't ask. Protecting wild animals is everyone's responsibility.
Hmm, he seems like a decent person.
Wen Fan brought the pigeons back to the shop to stew. By noon, someone asked the kitchen what was stewing because it smelled so good!
While taking the money, Ms. Wen said that this was her own medicine.
The customer looked at him with a "you're definitely kidding me" expression.
How could there be such a drug! It's a scam!
A short while later, Old Master Duan also arrived at the shop. He immediately asked if Wen's mother had eaten the medicinal meal that day, and if not, he wanted to take her pulse so he could keep a record for comparison.
Mother Wen said not yet, the pigeon soup needs to be simmered for a long time, about two hours!
The old man took the pulse, and as soon as the person left, the guest was stroking his chin.
"Madam, is that old man a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner?"
Mother Wen nodded: "It's the one next door, the old Chinese medicine doctor. He's the one who prescribed the medicinal cuisine this time."
The customer looked Wen's mother up and down: "Boss lady, are you feeling unwell?"
Wen's mother said that her blood pressure was a little high, but it has now come down. She also said that she had excessive internal heat and was deficient in the body, so she should drink some pigeon soup to replenish it.
The customer slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "I have almost the same symptoms as you! Oh my god, if I had known there was an old Chinese medicine doctor next door, I would have gone to see him sooner. Wait a minute, I'll go find the old man to take my pulse."
Wen's mother quickly stopped them, saying that the appointments next door were already full, and that the shop was packed with people who had come to see a doctor.
The customer hadn't noticed the pharmacy next door, but when he heard Wen's mother say that he had to take a number, he immediately felt that this old Chinese medicine doctor was absolutely amazing.
What else is there to say? After eating, go ask how to queue up, no matter how long it takes, just get in line!
The peak season was over, and the pigeon soup was ready. Wen Fan served the pigeon soup; it was his mother's meal for today, along with a side of green vegetables.
As for the others, Wen Fan made oil-splashed noodles.
The pulled noodles are wide and long. Boil some greens and bean sprouts, then scoop the cooked noodles into a large conical bowl. Add a spoonful of scrambled eggs with tomatoes and a spoonful of mushroom and meat sauce on top. Add minced garlic, chopped green onions, and a few spoonfuls of Qin pepper powder. The fragrant, not spicy, chili peppers are sizzled with hot oil, creating the soul of the oil-splashed noodles.
The fragrant noodles are mixed well, with the meat sauce and chili oil evenly coating each noodle.
Wen Fan served out three large bowls of noodles, one for his father Yao Qingqin and one for himself.
Eating a bowl of noodles like this requires extra care; if you're not careful, the noodles will leave several small red circles on your clothes.
The noodles are thick and chewy, unlike soft noodles. This bowl of noodles has a certain "spirit"; "chewy" doesn't even begin to describe the noodles. They are so firm that it's as if two strands were joined together when the noodles were stretched. The noodles are coated with chili oil and meat sauce. The chili is fragrant but not dry, spicy but not pungent, with a hint of burnt chili powder. Every bite is rich and flavorful.
The garlic, after being poured over hot oil, retains a lingering spiciness, and the pleasure brought by carbohydrates is irreplaceable.
The toppings are fragrant and rich, the noodles are thick and hearty, and it's truly filling.
After finishing one bowl, very few people can eat a second one.
After finishing his meal, Mr. Wen put down his chopsticks and exclaimed sincerely, "That was delicious!"
While eating meat in large chunks is certainly hearty, how can eating noodles in a large bowl not be just as enjoyable?
Although Wen's mother was somewhat envious, she couldn't care less about anything else once she tasted the delicious pigeon soup.
Wen Fan controlled the quantity very well. The pigeon soup simmered in a small clay pot was just right. After drinking the soup and eating the meat, Wen's mother was just full.
Wen Fan said that pigeon soup shouldn't be drunk every day; it should be drunk every other day, starting with a week's supply.
"Dad, remember to go to Pigeon King's to pick up the pigeons tomorrow."
Since we only need a small amount now, we can't expect them to deliver it.
When Wen's father went grocery shopping, he bought one. When Wen Fan came back at noon, he cleaned it up and stewed it. By the afternoon, Wen's mother could eat it.
A week later, by the weekend, Wen's mother looked much better.
Even Yao Qingqin remarked that Wen's mother looked rosy-cheeked.
"My parents told them to come, but they refused. If you ask me, this is a good way to improve their health!"
Yao Qingqin gets angry just talking about it. Although her parents are good to her, when it comes to seeing a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, they both say in unison that you don't need to see a doctor if you're not sick.
Yao Qingqin was furious. She had gone to great lengths to get the number from Qu's father, and that was only because they were neighbors. Otherwise, people would know who she was.
But her parents stubbornly refused to come, so Yao Qingqin had to ask Mr. Qu to cancel the trip.
Seeing the visible changes in Wen's mother, Yao Qingqin gritted her teeth and resolved that even if it meant having a fight at home, she would bring her parents with her!
Mother Wen took his pulse again, and Old Master Duan seemed very pleased.
The prescription was usable and effective, so he immediately decided to prescribe it to several suitable patients.
only……
Grandpa Duan approached Wen's mother to discuss: "Could we ask Wen Fan to take on this job?"
If you don't cook medicinal cuisine well at home, people definitely won't eat it.
Since that's the case, why not let Wen Fan stew it? That way, everyone will come to the restaurant to eat.
Wen's mother was about to refuse.
Grandpa Duan said there was no rush and told him to go back and think about it.
"Most medicinal cuisine dishes are stews or soups, and I think Wen Fan might be interested in them."
Upon hearing this, Wen Fan told his mother to accept.
"Make sure they schedule their times differently!"
If you come during mealtimes, it definitely won't work. The newly expanded store is already a bit too small, and there are often no seats available in the two storefronts.
But these people are eating medicinal cuisine!
Wen Fan: "Find a big clay pot at noon, stew a big pot of it, and then we'll divide it up in the afternoon."
It's a bit rough around the edges, but as long as it works, that's fine!
Besides, Wen Fan felt that this was no different from finding money for free.
She only needs to prepare the ingredients a little before stewing; it only takes her a few minutes, but the results are amazing!
Since medicinal cuisine can no longer be offered at a low price, Wen Fan asked his mother to ask Old Master Duan for a higher price.
Old Master Duan's eyes gleamed: "Of course."
Most people who can eat nourishing medicinal cuisine don't have any major illnesses; they just have some physical weakness. To put it more bluntly, if someone has a serious illness, eating medicinal cuisine would be a waste, and even Grandpa Duan wouldn't prescribe it.
Whether he can prescribe medicinal cuisine depends entirely on the patient's wishes and family circumstances.
A bowl of pigeon soup costs 299 yuan, but Grandpa Duan says it's no problem at all.
"I'll take 99% of the medicinal herbs, and the other 200% are all yours."
Both sides make a profit. Isn't this price more valuable than what these people eat, like shark fin and bird's nest? After all, it's for treating illnesses!
Wen's mother was startled by the price of 299, but Wen Fan thought it was about right.
That's the price, otherwise some people won't think it's worth it.
After agreeing on the details, the matter was settled. Old Master Duan sighed, saying it was a pity that there was only this one prescription, and he didn't know if there would be any more.
"I wish there were more."
Later, his senior returned to school and secretly investigated who was most likely to deliver the prescription to Grandpa Duan.
After thinking it over and over, they still couldn't find anyone. Ji Baiyi's family sold medicinal herbs, so if they really had such a good thing, they would have kept it for themselves.
Most others are the same.
This prescription seems to have been given by someone who doesn't understand pharmacology and wants to have someone take a look but is hesitant to do so, so they sent it through several other people.
It has now become a mystery. The only thing the two brothers are struggling with is whether there are any other medicinal dishes.
If it exists, will I still be able to see it?
Just as Grandpa Duan was sighing and lamenting, it was Saturday of that week.
Ke Miao carefully took out a piece of paper as soon as she entered the room.
"Teacher, I don't know when this suddenly appeared in my schoolbag..."
On a piece of paper similar to the one from last week, a completely different medicinal diet recipe was written.
Grandpa Duan's eyes immediately lit up.
"Go, go next door and call Wen Xiaofan."
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